Speech by Vincent van Neerbos on May 4
Commemorate
We remember those who fell victim to violence and oppression during the war years. These are the darkest chapters in our history and a time when people showed their worst side.
It is unimaginable that of the 140,000 Dutch Jews living in our country in May 1940, 101,800 were murdered or died of illness and exhaustion in concentration camps. In part with the help of or at the behest of their fellow countrymen.
War is a time of hatred, misery, and horrors. The darkest of days, in which a glimmer of hope can sometimes be found. An act of resistance.
The story of the war is also largely about ordinary people like you and me who tried to make the best of it under unusual and sometimes dire circumstances. The story of Maas and Waal is about a liberation that came without peace. We were liberated by the Allies in September 1944, but subsequently formed the front line until May 1945. It was during those months that most of the casualties occurred.
It was during those months that the deepest scars were inflicted, scars that some of you can still feel today.
Perhaps you have your own memories of those days. Or maybe you’ve heard from your parents or grandparents about the sheer terror they felt when they heard the sound of a V1 rocket, or the sense of uncertainty in the air-raid shelters. Or the grief of losing a loved one.
The feeling of loss is something we can all imagine. Unfair, unjust, infuriating, and helpless.
The sadness and helplessness are still palpable today as we remember them—those fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and children who lost their lives during the war years. And the soldiers and resistance fighters who gave their lives for the freedom of others. Back then in ’40–’45 and now during peacekeeping operations anywhere in the world. They are all someone’s daughter; they are someone’s son.
We can hardly imagine what making such sacrifices truly means. Putting your life on the line, risking everything to protect someone else. Fighting and dying for a greater good: for freedom and peace. So let’s not take the freedom and peace we have for granted. A price has been paid for them.
Because now more than ever, it is important that we do not turn a blind eye to what is happening in the world. In Ukraine.
We are seeing increasing polarization. It is not our commonalities, but our differences that are widely highlighted in the news and on social media. Let us work together toward a world where peace and freedom are a given for everyone. Let us not look the other way, but actively contribute to creating a better world for all of us.
We do this by commemorating and reflecting. We commemorate our fallen heroes, the people who paid the ultimate price for peace. And we express our gratitude to them. They will remain forever in our memories and in our hearts.
Vincent van Neerbos
Mayor